Make it to where Congress can only vote on single item bills. No riders. No fluff. The bill is what it is. Make the title of the bill informative and not deceptive. And make voting of these bills during normal work hours and not in the wee hours around 3am where it can be sneaky and no one know.
I agree and also:
Bills will be no longer than 5 pages per day before the vote. For example, the bill is presented and will be voted on in 7 days. The bill can be no longer than 35 pages.
36 Likes
Agree, @Wbuckley0212! I think there is another similar suggestion with almost 600 votes here: Single Issue Bills for Congress
26 Likes
Transparency in language and intent. Even better, utilize Modern English and ban the use of the archaic, legal language/verbage.
45 Likes
Before we get to that, let’s clean all the mess they have created over the years:
22 Likes
I want to add to your
Policy Proposal: Enhancing Legislative Transparency and Public Participation
Objective: To establish a program that requires a schedule of bills to be voted on, all bills to be posted online for public review and input at least two weeks prior to the vote. This program will allow citizens to use their voter ID numbers to vote on the legislation and provide comments, ensuring that representatives and senators are aware of their constituents’ opinions.
Background: The legislative process often lacks transparency and sufficient public input, leading to a disconnect between elected officials and their constituents. By implementing a system that allows for public review and feedback on pending legislation, the government can enhance transparency, accountability, and democratic participation.
Policy Proposal:
Online Legislative Portal:
Create a secure online portal where all scheduled legislation is posted at least two weeks prior to the scheduled vote.
Ensure the portal is accessible to all citizens and provides detailed information on each piece of legislation.
Public Voting and Comments:
Allow citizens to use their voter ID numbers to vote “yes” or “no” on each piece of legislation.
Enable citizens to submit comments and feedback on the legislation, which will be visible to their representatives and senators.
Single-Issue Legislation:
Require that all legislation be single-issue to prevent the inclusion of unrelated provisions and ensure clarity for voters.
Constituent Feedback to Representatives:
Automatically forward the voting results and comments from constituents to their respective representatives and senators.
Provide representatives and senators with a summary of their constituents’ opinions on each piece of legislation.
Transparency and Accountability:
Make the voting results and comments publicly available to ensure transparency and accountability.
Require representatives and senators to publicly respond to the feedback from their constituents.
Implementation and Security:
Develop robust security measures to protect the integrity of the voting process and ensure the privacy of citizens’ information.
Conduct regular audits and updates to the system to maintain its reliability and security.
Implementation Timeline:
Year 1: Develop and launch the online legislative portal, establish security measures, and begin public education campaigns.
Year 2: Implement the public voting and commenting system, ensure all legislation is posted online as required.
Year 3: Achieve full compliance with the policy, conduct evaluations, and make necessary adjustments.
Conclusion: By implementing this program, the United States can enhance legislative transparency, increase public participation, and ensure that elected officials are more responsive to the needs and opinions of their constituents. This policy will strengthen the democratic process and foster greater trust between the government and the public.
25 Likes
Also add report cards for all elected officials so the public can have a dashboard that is easy to read on how they’re elected officials cast their vote.
This report card also needs to reflect any lobbyists activity. All lobbyist meetings need to be public.
15 Likes
This could be combined with the Single Item bills for congress already being voted on
I totally agree with this proposal.
There might, at some point, be a need to add an ammendment for something missed. If so, all ammendments must address the original subject of the legislation. No more adding ammendments on non-related subjects because you think the bill will pass. If the legislation is viable, it will stand on it’s own.
8 Likes
Wholeheartedly agree with this!
3 Likes
Id like to add on the transparency, not only should bills be posted online giving representatives their constituency opinion, but if the Vote by the Rep is in opposition to their constituents, they should be held accountable and explain why.
6 Likes
Yes I totally agree. Too much pork in the bills
3 Likes
Agree to all! Time to return to keeping it simple and clear . We the people can go directly to the one causing the problem!
3 Likes
No more thousand page bills thaf AI creates.
4 Likes
Yes for single item bills.
Too many things, including unrelated items are included in our bills. This is a definite YES for me.
In addition:
o The Bill Titles should be accurate. No more misleading or obscure naming of Bills.
o I don’t know if one page is feasible, but a proposed Bill should be All Inclusive without attachments, addendums, etc. that must be researched in order to fully understand it and intention.
o Bills in digital form should include active links to all reference material.
1 Like
This would definitely stop the blame game.
This is a must. I work in a non profit and go frequently to speak to my representatives. I have been shocked to learn how things work behind the scenes. The amount of “vote for my bill and I’ll tack on your issue as a rider” is absolutely stunning. It needs to stop.
2 Likes